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Reviewed by: Debbie Brenner
Location: 1901 Spinnaker Drive, San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA 93001
Description: The center is located in the Ventura Harbor Village, at the end of Spinnaker Drive. It is a compact, four-story structure, free to the public since it is managed by the Department of the Interior. The center has informative displays, a tide pool filled with examples of animals and algae characteristic of the five Channel Islands that make up the park, and a gift shop that features beautiful books, specific field guides, educational posters, and fun manipulatives all about the Channel Islands and Ventura coastal environment.
The rangers who work at the museum are well-versed in the history and the varied ecosystems of the islands. They periodically lead talks at the tide pool, and they are always eager to answer any questions about the Channel Islands. They also periodically feed squid to the fish and sea stars.
An important element of the visitor center is the garden adjacent to the building. Native flora from all the islands are represented in the garden. Visitors can see how species of buckwheat and coreopsis vary among the islands.
On the fourth floor, there is a wrap-around balcony with viewing scopes pointed out at the islands, and on a clear day, you can see all five (Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, San Miguel, Santa Rosa).
Some highlights:
Tide pool with various species of sea stars, fish, anemones, lobster (open-topped so visitors can touch sea stars during ranger talk)
Replica of full-size skeleton of pygmy elephant (excavated from Santa Rosa Island)
Taxidermy: island foxes and elephant seals
3-dimensional topographic model of all 5 Channel Islands in the lobby
Video:
Audience:
Groups of any age, from age 5 to 95, would benefit from and hopefully wholeheartedly enjoy a visit to the Channel Islands Visitors Center.
The center would be a resource for groups studying any of the following topics:
food webs
impact of human activity on the environment
resilience and dynamic nature of ecosystems
variety of island environments
variations among species of island foxes, lizards, and plants from island to island
elephant seal life cycles
flora of sand dunes
native vs. invasive species of ice plants
native vs. invasive species of wild grasses
Science Concepts Addressed:
Food webs: investigate the trophic relationships among land animals and plants, as well as marine animals and plants
Impact of human activity: exploitation of resources by native Americans, agriculture (sheep, cattle, elk, pig, rabbits), near extinction of black abalone
Resilience and dynamic nature of ecosystems: study how ecosystem elements change according to the impact of human activity
Microclimates: study how island size and differences in elevation, geology, soils, plant colonization, and orientation toward water or land affects microclimates on each island
Adaptive radiation: variations among species of island foxes, lizards, and plants from island to island
elephant seal life cycles
Sand dune vegetation: study how these plants are adapted to grow and survive in sand dunes, and how they preserve the sand dunes
Invasive species: Investigate where invasive species on the islands originate from, and analyze why they are so successful in the islands.
Study Guide:
• Map 1: Channel Islands Area Geography
• Map 2: Southern California Bight
• Map 3: Currents and Sea Surface Temperature
• Map 4: Chumash Villages of the Pre-mission Period
• Map 5: Channel Islands Land and Marine Management
• Map 6: Channel Islands Kelp Canopy
Google form with student tasks, observations, and higher order questions:
Photographs:
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